"There will be no friend, nor an intercessor for the Zalimun (polytheists and the wrongdoers), who could be given heed to.'' (40:18)

"And for the Zalimun (wrongdoers, polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) there is no helper.'' (22:71)

203. Jabir bin `Abdullah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Beware of injustice, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection; and beware of stinginess because it doomed those who were before you. It incited them to shed blood and treat the unlawful as lawful.'' [Muslim]

Commentary: This Hadith makes it abundantly clear that there will be utmost justice on the Day of Resurrection. So much so that Allah will redress even the grievance of the aggressed animals against the aggressors. Thus, this Hadith serves a severe warning for people. When animals, who are devoid of sense, will not be forgiven, how would mankind be, which is gifted with senses? The latter will not be pardoned if they are guilty of having been unjust to anyone without adequately compensating them.

Commentary: One should not take the respite for exemption because no one knows when respite granted by Him will come to an end and punishment will follow.

208 - وعن معاذ رضي الله عنه قال : بعثني رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال : [ إنك تأتي قوما من أهل الكتاب فادعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في كل يوم وليلة فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم فترد على فقرائهم فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فإياك وكرائم أموالهم واتق دعوة المظلوم فإنه ليس بينها وبين الله حجاب ] متفق عليه 208. Mu`adh (May Allah bepleased with him) reported that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sent me (as a governor of Yemen) and instructed me thus: "You will go to the people of the Book. First call them to testify that `there is no true god except Allah, that I am (Muhammad (PBUH)) the Messenger of Allah.' If they obey you, tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five Salat (prayers) during the day and night; and if they obey you, inform them that Allah has made Zakat obligatory upon them; that it should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor; and if they obey you refrain from picking up (as a share of Zakat) the best of their wealth. Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: 1. If it comes to Jihad against infidels, polytheists and the people of the Book (Ahl-ul-Kitab) then before waging war against them, they should be invited to Islam and told about the prescribed Salat (prayers), Zakat and other teachings of Islam.

2. The Zakat collected from the rich of a locality must be spent on the poor of that place. If some amount is left unspent only then it should be distributed among the deserving people of other areas.

3. The collectors of Zakat should refrain from aggression in its collection as in that case they will be invoking the curse of the people concerned and thereby invite the Wrath of Allah

209 - وعن أبي حميد عبد الرحمن بن سعد الساعدي رضي الله عنه قال : استعمل النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم رجلا من الأزد يقال له ابن اللتبية على الصدقة . فلما قدم قال : هذا لكم وهذا أهدي إلي . فقام رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم على المنبر فحمد الله وأثنى عليه ثم قال : [ أما بعد فإني أستعمل الرجل منكم على العمل مما ولاني الله فيأتي فيقول : هذا لكم هذا هدية أهديت إلي أفلا جلس في بيت أبيه أو أمه حتى تأتيه هديته إن كان صادقا والله لا يأخذ أحد منكم شيئا بغير حقه إلا لقي الله تعالى يحمله يوم القيامة فلا أعرفن أحدا منكم لقي الله يحمل بعيرا له رغاء أو بقرة لها خوار أو شاة تيعر ] ثم رفع يديه حتى رؤي بياض إبطيه فقال : اللهم هل بلغت ؟ ] ثلاثا متفق عليه. 209. Abu Humaid bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) employed a man from the tribe of Al-Azd named Ibn Lutbiyyah as collector of Zakat. When the employee returned (with the collections) he said: "(O Prophet (PBUH)!) This is for you and this is mine because it was presented to me as gift.'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) rose to the pulpit and praised Allah and extolled Him. Then he said, "I employ a man to do a job and he comes and says: `This is for you and this has been presented to me as gift'? Why did he not remain in the house of his father or the house of his mother and see whether gifts will be given to him or not? By Allah in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, if any one of you took anything wrongfully, he will bring it on the Day of Resurrection, carrying it on (his back), I will not recognize anyone of you, on the Day of Resurrection with a grunting camel, or a bellowing cow, or a bleating ewe.'' Then he raised his hands till we could see the whiteness of his armpits. Then he said thrice, ``O Allah ! have I conveyed (Your Commandments)''. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: There is a stern warning in this Hadith for the government functionaries. Nowadays official positions are very much misused and people have developed the habit of giving presents and gifts to them. According to this Hadith, all such presents and gifts which are given to the government employees due to their official position are unlawful and constitute bribery. The taking and accepting of bribery are both unlawful.

210 - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ من كانت عنده مظلمة لأخيه من عرضه أو من شيء فليتحلله منه اليوم قبل أن لا يكون دينار ولا درهم إن كان له عمل صالح أخذ منه بقدر مظلمته وإن لم تكن له حسنات أخذ من سيئات صاحبه فحمل عليه ] رواه البخاري. 210. Abu Hurairah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He who has done a wrong affecting his brother's honour or anything else, let him ask his forgiveness today before the time (i.e., the Day of Resurrection) when he will have neither a dinar nor a dirham. If he has done some good deeds, a portion equal to his wrong doings will be subtracted from them; but if he has no good deeds, he will be burdened with the evil deeds of the one he had wronged in the same proportion". [Al-Bukhari].

Commentary: This Hadith tells us that if one does not compensate a person who has been harmed by one and has not been pardoned for it, then it would have a serious consequence in the Hereafter. Its detail is mentioned in this Hadith. Thus, negligence in the case of public rights, which we take very lightly, is in fact ruinous.

Commentary: The Hadith shows that a true Muslim is one who does not do any harm to others, overtly or covertly. Similarly, the true Muhajir is one who avoids disobeying Allah. Thus, if a person leaves his hearth and home to emigrate to some other place but does not save himself from sins, his emigration is of no avail.

Commentary: The Hadith shows that stealing and breach of trust fall in the category of major sins for which one can be consigned to Hell.

213 - وعن أبي بكرة نفيع بن الحارث رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ إن الزمان قد استدار كهيئته يوم خلق الله السماوات والأرض . السنة اثنا عشر شهرا منها أربعة حرم . ثلاث متواليات : ذو القعدة وذو الحجة والمحرم رجب مضر الذي بين جمادى وشعبان أي شهر هذا ؟ ] قلنا : الله ورسوله أعلم . فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه . قال : [ أليس ذا الحجة ؟ ] قلنا : بلى . قال : [ فأي بلد هذا ؟ ] قلنا : الله ورسوله أعلم . فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه . قال : [ أليس البلدة ؟ ] قلنا : بلى . قال : [ فأي يوم هذا ؟ ] قلنا : الله ورسوله أعلم . فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه . فقال : [ أليس يوم النحر ؟ ] قلنا : بلى . قال : [ فإن دماءكم وأموالكم وأعراضكم حرام كحرمة يومكم هذا في بلدكم هذا في شهركم هذا وستلقون ربكم فيسألكم عن أعمالكم ألا فلا ترجعوا بعدي كفارا يضرب بعضكم رقاب بعض ألا ليبلغ الشاهد الغائب فلعل بعض من يبلغه أن يكون أوعى له من بعض من سمعه ] ثم قال : [ ألا هل بلغت ؟ ألا هل بلغت ؟ ] قلنا : نعم . قال : [ اللهم اشهد ] متفق عليه 213. Abu Bakrah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Time has completed its cycle and has come to the state of the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months of which four are inviolable; three of them consecutive - Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram and Rajab, the month of Mudar (tribe), which comes between Jumada and Sha`ban. What month is this?'' We said, "Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) know better". The Prophet (PBUH) remained silent for some time until we thought that he would give it a name other than its real name. Then asked, "Is it not (the month of) Dhul-Hijjah?''. We replied in the affirmative. He asked, "Which city is this?". We replied: "Allah and His Messenger know better". He remained silent until we thought that he would give it another name. He (PBUH) asked, "Is it not Al-Baldah (Makkah)?'' We said: "Yes". He (PBUH) asked, "What day is this?". We said: "Allah and His Messenger know better.'' He (PBUH) remained silent until we thought that he would give it another name. He asked, "Is it not the day of An-Nahr (the sacrifice)?". We replied in the affirmative. Thereupon he said, "Your blood, your property and your honour are inviolable to you all like the inviolablity of this day of yours, in this city of yours and in this month of yours. You will soon meet your Rubb and He will ask you about your deeds. So do not turn to disbelief after me by striking the necks of one another. Behold! Let him who is present here convey (this message ) to him who is absent; for many a person to whom a message is conveyed has more retentive memory than the one who hears it.'' He (PBUH) again said, "Have I conveyed the message to you? Behold! Have I conveyed the Commandments (of Allah) to you.'' We submitted: "Yes". He then said, "O Allah, bear witness (to this)". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: 1. The cycle of years and months (that is to say a month consists of 30 or 29 days and a year has 12 months) was completed at the time of creation of heavens and earth.

2. The Hadith mentions the sanctity of life, property, respect and honour of each Muslim for the other and lays stress upon the importance of this bond in them.

3. It reminds that everyone will be answerable for his actions on the Day of Requittal.

4. It urges that one should not just keep to oneself the Commandments of Allah and His Prophet's teachings but disseminate them among others also. It is quite possible that someone who remembers these teachings more adheres to them more in practice.

Commentary: The importance of rights of people is evident from the threat of severe punishment that this Hadith holds for the usurpers of these rights. Their case will depend entirely on the Will of Allah. Such defaulters may be forgiven even in the initial stage or they may be pardoned by Allah after some punishment.

215 - وعن عدي بن عميرة رضي الله عنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول : [ من استعملناه منكم على عمل فكتمنا مخيطا فما فوقه كان غلولا يأتي به يوم القيامة ] فقام إليه رجل أسود من الأنصار كأني أنظر إليه فقال : يا رسول الله اقبل عني عملك . قال : [ وما لك ؟ ] قال : سمعتك تقول كذا وكذا . قال : [ وأنا أقوله الآن : من استعملناه على عمل فليجيء بقليله وكثيره فما أوتي منه أخذ وما نهي عنه انتهى ] رواه مسلم . 215. `Adi bin `Umairah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whosoever among you is appointed by us to a position and he conceals from us even a needle or less, it will amount to misappropriation and he will be called upon to restore it on the Day of Resurrection". (`Adi bin `Umairah added:) A black man from the Ansar stood up - I can see him still - and said: "O Messenger of Allah, take back from me your assignment.'' He (the Prophet (PBUH)) said, "What has happened to you?'' The man replied: "I have heard you saying such and such.'' He (PBUH) said, "I say that even now: Whosoever from you is appointed by us to a position, he should render an account of everything, big or small, and whatever he is given therefrom, he should take and he should desist from taking what is unlawful". [Muslim].

Commentary: Here again functionaries of government are warned to perform their duties with co-operation and integrity. If they neglect their duties or take undue advantage of their official position, they will be held guilty by Allah for dereliction of their duties and misuse of power, as has been stated in a Hadith quoted before. It also tells us that it is the duty of the superior officers to keep a strict watch on their subordinates and not to let them indulge in bribery and abuse; otherwise, their negligence or slackness or overlooking or shirking from their duty in this behalf will also be treated as crime. It is not difficult to imagine the fate of such officers who conspire in the loot and plunder as is the case in our society today.

Commentary: This Hadith also shows the importance of rights of people and repayment of loan which will not be pardoned in any case. It is, therefore, essential that every Muslim should exercise utmost care to fulfill his obligations in these matters.

218 - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ أتدرون ما المفلس ؟ ] قالوا : المفلس فينا من لا درهم له ولا متاع . فقال : [ إن المفلس من أمتي من يأتي يوم القيامة بصلاة وصيام وزكاة ويأتي قد شتم هذا وقذف هذا أكل مال هذا وسفك دم هذا وضرب هذا فيعطى هذا من حسناته وهذا من حسناته فإن فنيت حسناته قبل أن يقضى ما عليه أخذ من خطاياهم فطرحت عليه ثم طرح في النار ] رواه مسلم 218. Abu Hurairah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Do you know who is the bankrupt?'' They said: "The bankrupt among us is one who has neither money with him nor any property". He said, "The real bankrupt of my Ummah would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with Salat, Saum and Sadaqah (charity), (but he will find himself bankrupt on that day as he will have exhausted the good deeds) because he reviled others, brought calumny against others, unlawfully devoured the wealth of others, shed the blood of others and beat others; so his good deeds would be credited to the account of those (who suffered at his hand). If his good deeds fall short to clear the account, their sins would be entered in his account and he would be thrown in the (Hell) Fire". [Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith tells us that a Muslim has to take strict care in the performance of obligations like prescribed Salat (prayers), Zakat, etc, but he has to take similar care in his dealings, manners and morals. Salvation lies in the proper fulfillment of all these requirements. Fulfillment of one at the cost of the other will not be sufficient for salvation.

Commentary: 1. The Prophet (PBUH) has explained through this Hadith that he, too, was a man like others and was thus liable to judging by what he hears by the facile tongue, cleverness and eloquence of people. But it does not detract from his innocence as a Prophet because it has no concern with his duty as a preacher and Prophet, the responsibility of protection of which has been accepted by Allah.

2. A judge (Qadi) should decide on the case which comes before him in the light of arguments presented to him by the litigants. He should not make decision according to speculation but go by the arguments which are in his opinion more convincing.

3. The decision of the Qadi will be evidently enforced, but it will not make the lawful as unlawful or vice versa. That is to say, it will not be enforced intrinsically, as is believed by some people. If somebody succeeds in winning a case, it will be invalid and the one who secures it will suffer its consequences in the Hell-fire.

Commentary: This Hadith has two meanings. Firstly, so long as a Muslim does not kill another Muslim without valid reason, he remains, by the Grace of Allah, capable of acting upon the Deen. That is to say, he is more hopeful of the Mercy of Allah, and deserves it also, as long as he does not commit murder. When he kills an innocent person, the gate of Allah's Compassion is closed on him.

Ibn Al-Arabi interpretted this Hadith as follows:

A Muslim will still have ample chance for accomplishing good deeds to face evil deeds until he sheds blood. Or, he has the chance of forgiveness until he sheds blood. (M.R.M.)